UNITED STATES AUTHOR · FICTION
Isabel Ostrander
Also known as: Robert Orr Chipperfield, David Fox
"Isabel Egenton Ostrander (1883–1924) was a prolific mystery writer of the early twentieth century who used, besides her own name, the pseudonyms Robert Orr Chipperfield, David Fox, and Douglas Grant. Christopher B. Booth is sometimes (falsely) credited as a pseudonym of hers. She was born in New York City to Thomas E Ostrander and Harriet Elizabeth Bradbrook. Her Ostrander pedigree goes back to seventeenth century Kingston, New York. In the 1920s, Ostrander was notable enough that Agatha Christie parodied her in her Tommy and Tuppence anthology, Partners in Crime (short story collection)." - Wikipedia
Most acclaimed
The handwriting on the wall
1977
Led by the astute Rex Powell, The Shadowers, Inc. comprises six specialists, each with a checkered past and unparalleled expertise in their respective fields. When the wealthy and influential de Puyster Monckton is found murdered in his historic mansion, suspicion falls on his estranged son, Richard Monckton, who stands to inherit a vast fortune. As the police build a seemingly airtight case against Richard, The Shadowers are enlisted to uncover the truth. Clifford Nichols, the agency's handwriting expert, takes charge of the investigation, determined to prove Richard's innocence. With the help of the resourceful and intuitive Ethel Jepson, Cliff delves into a world of hidden motives, secret messages, and dangerous adversaries. From the opulent halls of Monckton Manor to the shadowy underworld of New York City, the team faces numerous challenges, including a cunning jewel thief, a mysterious private detective, and a network of criminals with everything to lose. As the clock ticks down to Richard's indictment, The Shadowers must piece together the clues left in the handwriting on the wall to reveal the true killer and save an innocent man from a grim fate.
Annihilation
The ever-present possibility of death forces upon us the question of life's meaning and for this reason death has been a central concern of philosophers throughout history. From Socrates to Heidegger, philosophers have grappled with the nature and significance of death. In "Annihilation", Christopher Belshaw explores two central questions at the heart of philosophy's engagement with death: what is death; and is it bad that we die? Belshaw begins by distinguishing between literal and metaphorical uses of the term and offers a unified and biological account of death, denying that death brings about non-existence. How our death relates to the death of the brain is explored in detail. Belshaw considers the common-sense view that death is often bad for us by examining the circumstances that might make it bad as well as the grounds for thinking that one death can be worse than another. In addition, Belshaw explores whether we can be harmed after we die and before we were born. The final chapters explore whether we should prevent more deaths and whether, via cryonics, brain transplants, data storage, we might cheat death. Throughout Belshaw shows how questions of personhood and life's value are bound up with our views on the sense and significance of death. "Annihilation's" in-depth analysis and insightful exposition will be welcomed not only by philosophers working on the metaphysics of death but also by students and scholars alike looking for a foundation for discussions of the ethics of abortion, euthanasia, life-support and suicide.